What’s The Big Deal About Purple Clay Tea Ware?

The Chinese have a secret that lets them fully enjoy their fragrant, healthy tea - they brew it with purple clay teapots. And you know what? These teapots really have qualities that set them apart from the pack. So today I’ll share some secrets as to why tea drinkers have come to adore a strange thing called purple clay.

There is only one place that this clay can be found: Yixing, China. Actually, there are three main colors of this so-called purple clay: red clay, green clay, and purple clay. Because the clay contains a high number of natural minerals, it can display a full range of colors after firing. And its internal structure is quite interesting too - a double layer of porous, sandy particles that give it an extra kick.

Some purple clay teapots are seen as great additions to cultural collections and are used as ornaments, but for those who like to drink from them, these pots have five characteristics that won’t be forgotten.

1. Purple clay teapots let your tea utterly show off its intrinsic characteristics in color, scent, and savor. From Chinese emperors to ordinary people, they all know a purple clay teapot is the best match to their tea. Make the best use of things, and let your tea has nothing to hide from you.

I love green tea, so I bought a green-colored purple clay teapot several years ago. Then I hurried back to my home, and brewed my favorite tea leaves with the pot. When I took a sip, the soup tasted much better than I used to feel before. I wondered: ‘Is it the same tea?’ Then I suddenly saw the light: I finally know my tea thanks to this purple clay teapot!

2. The unique air permeability of purple clay teapots guarantee that the tea inside doesn’t go bad. There is a saying in China: Tea overnight can’t be drunk. But the truth is, the tea in a purple clay teapot stays crisp all day and night, even in sultry summer.

If you have something urgent to deal with in the morning after brewing tea, go for it! The tea soup in the pot will stay fresh and be considerate enough to wait for you at the end of the day.

3. A purple clay teapot seems ‘alive’ because it is very absorbent. First, it accumulates some tea flavors and fragrances during each infusion, and releases them into the next brew. So the tea is always better and the flavor gets stronger as time goes on.

Plus, every time when you make tea, the tea essences are ‘nourishing’ your purple clay teapot, making it smoother and glossier. And even a touch on the pot is actually a kind of lubrication. The more you feel it, the more lustrous it becomes. You hand oil serves as a lubricant.

Finally, tea lovers suggest a purple clay teapot should be specially used for brewing a certain type of tea, so the color of the absorbent teapot will grew more similar with the color of the tea soup. Maybe the slow color change of your teapot will fascinate you, who knows?

If you are interested in the last two advantages of purple clay tea ware, just click over to my site to read more:

Last 5 posts by Jason Jia

• From An Amateur Teapot Buyer To A Purple Clay Teapot Collector - July 18th, 2009
• The Way To Become A Purple Clay Teapot Collector - July 15th, 2009
• A Long Way To Becoming A Purple Clay Teapot Collector - July 13th, 2009
• Great Chinese Anecdotes About Purple Clay - July 12th, 2009
• Intriguing Folklore About Purple Clay Teapots - July 11th, 2009